"The Best I Have Read"

June lst, 1927. The Editor of the California Lumber Merchant. 318 Central Building, Los Angeles, Calif.

Dear Sir:

I think the address given by K. Smith, in your issue of May lst,to the Rotary Club at Santa Ana, is the best that I have read. (Relations Between Competitors.) This surely outlines the SUICIDAL POLICY that the average Lumber Merchant is following in Los Angeles, and vicinity. I wish that every Lumber Dealer would read and digest this Address. It would do him alvorld of good for himself and his fellow competitors. If this address could only be distributed to every operator and office man in all the yards in Los Angeles I think this would have a good effect on the present merchandising methods.

The Lumber Merchant who cuts prices, is BEAT from the start. As soon as the idea crops up in his mind he knows that it is fallacy but he says to.himself that "I must keep up Volume and the only way to keep this Volume in vogue is to cut below my Competitor, and throw away his SOUL." He is giving his legitimate profit away to his so-called Contractors and Customers, who are reaping a harvest from the Lumber Dealers, and when this Customer gets outside the office he laughs up his sleeve and says to himself that he has slipped over the Merchant who trusted him. And then he will tell all his friends all about how cheap he bought his material and eventually the Dealer is swamped rvith CUT RATE ORDERS from which he does not derive a penny PROFIT. It is up to the Lumber Merchant to say NO and say it out loud so that all may hear you. Say NO, get the habit, say NO till it hurts. Sry NO, I will not sacrifice my merchandise for a mere pittance, I will make a profit or no SALES. We want to be MEN and stand back to back in the BUSINESS FIELD OF BATTI.E.

IF

You Are Afailure In Merchandising

rvalk over to the mirror and you will see the one who is most to blan,e. It is a deplorable condition that is existing in our Community, we are not even trading DOLLARS.

The Merchant who cuts prices does not always get the business. I could name vou manv instances where the highest bidder gets the bittr. tfrlt. is no limit to CUTTING PROFITS UNTIL YOU ARE A DOWN AND OUTER.

ALL

Very True

Tell me not in mournful numbers advertising is but a dream, For the business man who slumbers has no chance to skim the cream. Life is real, Life is earnest, and competition something fierce.

If for dividends thou yearnest, learn the party thrust and tierce.

In the business field of battle MOLLY CODDLES have no place. Be not like DUMB DRI\rEN CATTLE. be a live one in the race.

Lives of great men oft remind us we must bring the bacon hornb.

And, departing, leave behind us footprints on another's dome.

Let us then be up and doing, otherwise rve may be done.

Still achieving, still pursuing, LET'S SELL LUMBER AND MAKE A PROFIT.

(Apologies to Longfellow.)

ALEX. H. CORLESS, c/o Patten and Davies Lumber Co., 3730 Trveedy Blvd., I{ome Gardens, Calif.